The Temple of Elemental Evil

Dungeons of the Moat House

The party explored the upper level of the keep before descending into the dungeon below the moat house. The keep’s largest corner tower proved relatively intact, housing a room with walls, ceiling and floor of black stone. A dais within suggested this Black Chamber was once an audience hall, but bedrolls and packs indicated that it had been converted into a sleeping chamber for the bandits. After liberating a chest full of treasure from the room and investigating the rest of the upper keep, the companions descended the narrow stair into the dungeon.

Beneath the moat house, a large, L-shaped chamber served as storage space for the brigands’ ill-gotten goods. Barrels, crates and chests were stacked against a wall and in the middle of the floor like a maze, while the opposite side of the chamber led to a wide, pillared hall.

Flint and Bittersworth searched the many crates and barrels for signs that the goods belonged to the dwarven traders in Hommlet, while Rehgo and Selinar investigated the dark hallway to the south. The latter was lined on one side in small, cell-like alcoves and a rusty gate stood shut upon the other. Shining a light spell into the first alcove, the wizard was surprised when a pair of hungry zombies lurched at him!

Valric, who had remained close by, rushed to his companions’ assistance. Flint and Bits dropped their investigation and did the same, moving to engage the zombies even as Selinar backed away from their grasping claws. Before long a dozen of the snarling, vicious corpses were lumbering toward the heroes, barely held at bay as Valric turned them back with his holy symbol.